Florida 80

Florida 80 is a transpeninsular state highway stretching from Fort Myers on the west coast to Palm Beach and the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast. The state highway passes through the towns of La Belle and Clewiston as well as skimming the southern edge of Lake Okeechobee on its 123.90 mile trek across the state.

Florida 80 West

Reassurance marker west of Florida 31. Transmission lines cross the route making their way to the Florida Power and Light coal plant along the southern edge of the Caloosahatchee River. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Florida 80 crosses the Orange River, a small tributary of the Caloosahatchee River. A small guide sign lets motorists know that the entrance to Interstate 75 southbound is via a left turn lane. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Approaching the intersection with Orange River Road and Louise Drive. Orange River Road (formerly known as Lee County 80A) veers east heading towards Buckingham Road 6.66 miles away. Guide signs for Interstate 75 are present before the intersection with Orange River Road. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Orange River Road serves as a shortcut for motorists wanting to get the the Lehigh Acres area. The 6.66 mile road ends at Buckingham Road. Commercial services for the upcoming diamond interchange with Interstate 75 (Exit 142) are accessed using Orange River Road. Louise Drive stems to the west and north to serve a small subdivision along the eastern side of Interstate 75 and dead ends south of the Caloosahatchee River. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Motorists wanting to access northbound Interstate 75 exit here. The city of Tampa is used as a northbound control point for Interstate 75 for all interchanges in the Fort Myers area. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Traffic signals control the movements of the diamond interchange with Interstate 75 (Exit 142). The east signal is a supported wire span while the west signal is a mast arm type due to construction of an added southbound off ramp. Westbound Florida 80 temporarily gives up its left most lane at the interchange as it becomes a second left-hand turn onto southbound Interstate 75. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Reassurance marker west of the Interstate 75. Commercial storefronts line the next 3.90 miles of Florida 80 as the six-lane arterial pushes west toward downtown Fort Myers. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Ortiz and Florence Avenues comprise the next signalized intersection on Florida 80. Ortiz Avenue (former Lee County 865) extends south to meet up with Ben Pratt/Six Mile Cypress Parkway to form a partial circumferential around the eastern and southern portions of Fort Myers. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Ortiz Avenue runs south parallel to Interstate 75 to Florida 884 (Colonial Boulevard) where the road becomes Ben Pratt/Six Mile Cypress Parkway. Florence Avenue continues to the north serving a residential neighborhood. This intersection also marks the center of the community of Tice. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Reassurance marker immediately west of Ortiz Avenue. Florida 80 loses its right-most lane ahead at the intersection with Royal Palm Park Road. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Signalized Tice Street and New York Drive intersection lie ahead. Tice Street backtracks to the east intersecting Ortiz Avenue and crossing over Interstate 75. New York Drive serves a few neighborhoods to the north. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Entering the city limits of Fort Myers at Prospect Avenue. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Approaching Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard (formerly Palmetto Avenue). Terry Park, originally built in 1906, lies west of Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard approximately one quarter mile south of Florida 80. The park was once the spring training home to several major league baseball teams, including the Kansas City Royals. Main entrance to the park can be reached via Florida 80 west of Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard is named after an instrumental City of Fort Myers council woman who has made many contributions to the community. The road was originally known as Palmetto Avenue until it was extended south of Florida 82 (Martin Luther King Boulevard) on a new alignment to Florida 884 (Colonial Boulevard). An additional extension is underway to tie in Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard with a Plantation Road extension to the south of Florida 884, making another viable north-south arterial in the Fort Myers area. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Westbound Florida 80 crosses the Seminole Gulf Railway at the intersection with Short Street. The railway provides not only freight service on its 286 miles of track but also serves to entertain patrons on its murder mystery dinner train excursion. The rail line connects with CSX rail lines at Arcadia (DeSoto County) and Oneco (Manatee County). Photo taken 01/02/07.

Nearing Seaboard Avenue and the split of Florida 80 into eastbound and westbound one-way pairs. Photo taken 01/02/07.

Florida 80 splits into one-way pairs at Seaboard Avenue. The westbound one-way portion of Florida 80 continues toward downtown Fort Myers and its western terminus at U.S. 41 while nearby Second Avenue and Seaboard Avenue carry eastbound Florida 80 markers. Westbound Florida 80 shares a brief multiplex with Business U.S. 41 west of Fowler Street to the Five Points interchange at U.S. 41 on the west side of downtown. At time of photo, construction was well underway to rehabilitate the westbound one-way portion of Florida 80 and traffic was detoured onto Seaboard and Second Avenues. Photo taken 01/02/07.